 You've seen the trope before, perhaps the broody brilliance of Sherlock Holmes, or maybe the earnest but awkward genius of Peter Parker, the frequent depiction of the intelligent person as being separate and alone, sometimes not by choice. When people think of intelligence, one of the biggest stereotypes is that smart people tend to be loners. While not every intelligent person is like this, in fact many are very popular, there is some truth to this. Intelligent brains operate differently, so to understand this better, we'll explore why intelligent people are more lonely. They don't fit in. Having a high level of intelligence can make someone an outcast. Intelligent people spend a lot of time in their inner world, which can come across as detached and aloof. They often have ideas that can come across as confusing or boring to their peers, making it difficult to find common ground. This can make them more awkward in conversation. The things that they say and do are eccentric and odd that, to others, may just seem wrong. An article by the supporting emotional needs of the gifted organization brings up the idea of overexcited abilities, which are sensitivities and needs in specific areas. An intellectual overexcited ability can lead to intelligent people craving conversations that are abstract and idea-centric, which can be difficult to get out of people. They may not get the same stimulation out of gossip as they would talking about philosophical ideas, art, or something that they're passionate about. Intelligent people need lots of stimulation. Intelligent people often need an extra challenge, whether it's personally, academically, or socially. For example, they may be more emotional, energetic, and have a wilder curiosity about the world around them than others. While this makes them stand out, it's also a cause for a lot of misunderstanding. The psychologist, Valeria Sabada, states that intelligent people may actually suffer from poor grades in school. This is often because the work isn't stimulating enough, but without context, it can bring them labels like lazy, difficult, or in some situations, dumb, when in reality, they are not in a situation where they can grow. In other scenarios, they may be perceived as cold or intimidating, even though that's not the truth. These misunderstandings can create unnecessary labels or stigma, making the person feel bad about himself. High levels of empathy. People with high intelligence often have a great deal of empathy towards others, which can make things challenging. Tragedies in the world can hurt them, and problems with other people can impact their well-being too. Other over-excitability from the Seng organization deals with emotionality and empathy. Having a higher level of empathy makes it difficult when dealing with people and their issues. So people like this often will need more time to themselves. Similarly, news events and ethical problems can aid in bringing these people down, causing them to unplug. While intelligent people may seem cold and distant, really, they feel so much that they need time to themselves to process. Too much self-isolation can lead to loneliness, along with the stigma that their recharge time makes them appear cold. Their brains process information differently. Those who are highly intelligent think differently from the people around them. While this can make it hard to fit in and can be easy to misunderstand, there's more to it. Being able to process and form ideas quickly may cause them to ramble about things that might not make sense to others. A psychologist, Valeria Sabada, states that a highly intelligent person's brain can bounce so many ideas off a single stimuli that their ideas may not be entirely coherent to others, or necessarily accurate. What makes sense to them might be difficult to explain to other people, which can create challenges, like offending someone when they don't mean to. An article from the School of Life gives an explanation that the out-there and radical ideas that intelligent people may have can offend others unintentionally, furthering their alienation. Thinking differently affects how they view the world, and how the world views them. Intelligent people have different brains, which can lead to great things, but also be alienating. Having difficulties fitting in, building connections, finding challenges, and emotionality can make finding your place difficult. It's not impossible, however, getting involved in activities, whether in your community or online, with people that share your interests, is a great way to build relationships. The world is a big place, and now is an easier time than ever to get connected. We hope this video has helped explain some ways that intelligent people can feel lonely or different from others. What have you learned about this topic? Do you have any more to add? Let us know in the comment section. Thank you so much for watching this video. If you enjoyed it, please give it a like and share it with someone who you think will benefit from it. Let us know your thoughts on it in the comment section. Remember to subscribe to Psych2Go to keep up with our uploads. Take care.